This is a great blend ! It's a toasty Burley flavor . Many a Burley is woody [ and I like those ] or nutty [ and I like those too ] .. But MB GE ends where many Burley blends either start or are at mid way or so . Its a straight on burley flavor that is milder than most with the added honey /water combo that MB adds to most all their blends , which equates to a little sweetness but not an aromatic in any way . It's a burley that anyone can smoke . The quality of leaf is excellent . It's a breeze to light and keep lit [ I twist it once in my palm is all ] and is a ready rub type broken flake . The room note screams pipe and is pleasant and it wont bite unless you are a spaz . It doesnt get bitter .... ever . As far as Burley blends go , it's top quality all day everyday blend . It's my Go To for a good while now ... I'd give it 5 stars if I could

This is called "Golden Blend" if you buy the tinned product and "Golden Extra" if you buy it in bulk, which I did, and which is why my review is here instead of under Golden Blend. It used to be named Golden Extra in the tin. I'm also reviewing Symphony, which is what it's named in bulk but it's Harmony in the tin... currently. It used to be Symphony in the tin. What's next - a bulk version of Roll Cake named Royal Twist???? Who understands this stuff? Not me!

Anyway, about this tobacco... this is a fairly dry tasting straight burley that smokes cool and is extremely monodimensional. I taste just a bit of the typical Mac Baren sweetness and a surprising lack of nuttiness to the burley. I find it interesting that Mac Baren has such a reputation for blending tobaccos that produce tongue bite. I couldn't get this one to bite unless I puffed furiously... and I should note here that I smoke all tobaccos with varying degrees of puffing speed to see how they behave in all situations. Even a fairly fast puffer should be able to smoke this one without peril. However, smoked very fast, it will bite and it will also give off a bit of a soapy flavor as the tobacco cells burst too quickly. But who smokes like a Hoover, anyway?

To keep my ratings consistent, I gave this a "somewhat recommended" because I personally found it too bland to smoke on even a semi-regular basis. But I also found it a very genial and cool smoke with a nice breadth of earthiness and something that could be smoked all day by someone who just wants a good honest tobacco taste with a touch of sweetness. I think Mac Baren did a good job with this one. If you like straight burley, increase my rating to at least "recommended" because I think you'll like it!

A very good all day burley mixture. Golden Extra is smooth and flavorful with absolutely no bitterness. It's not as hearty or as strong as other burleys that I have been indulging in lately, but it's surely more refined and much less rough & tumble. The flavor is earthy with a subtle honey & citrus note coming from the bright Virginia which adds just enough to give this tobacco a special touch and a sweet aroma. Perfect for a warm day and it smokes fantastic in a briar or cob.

According to Mac Baren, this is the same as their Golden Blend. Golden Blend is the European name and Golden Extra is the name for USA distribution. My reviews for each are the same:

I have re-introduced myself to Golden Blend (my tins read Golden Extra) after a lapse of many years. This review is of the tinned version (stamped Oct 2008) and freshly opened. The tin note is a tad sweeter than Mac's London Burley Blend which is a favorite of mine. Moisture level right for me, packed and lit easily. There was no problem keeping this one lit. I would say that it is similar to Mac's London, but differs in that it is not as full-bodied as Burley London Blend. There is no typical honey casing as with many of Mac's offerings. What I detect is the very mild presence of chocolate, and bittersweet. If any honey is present, I can not detect it. Although the tin description lists it, I do not detect the inclusion of any Virginia in Golden Blend. Slow smoking reveals a mildly sweet tasting Burley. It is more astringent/sour than BLB but not bitter or harsh on the throat.

Before lighting my pipe, I like to suck through the stem to taste the tobacco and rate its flavoring. As stated, this one had a very decided chocolate taste before lighting. After lighting, the chocolate presence took a back seat, but not in a bad way. The solid tobacco taste was the front runner. There was no bite whatsoever. Sometimes the Mac's produce a slight sting to the tongue, but not with this one. I puffed on it fairly aggressively to test this out. I eventually settled to a more paced smoke which was very enjoyable from start to finish. Golden Blend is a pleasant smoke. Although I find BLB fuller tasting as a Burley, Golden Blend is a nice change of pace for when I want a lighter Burley with a touch more sweetness.

ADDENDUM 7-28-10: I just want to mention that I have been smoking this and Mac's Burley London Blend for nearly 35 years now. They may be similar, but they ARE NOT the same.

This is a really nice smoke. Starts with a nice taste of Burley. Nutty with a little earth. As the bowl progresses the Golden Virginias make themselves known and continue in strength until a balance with the Burley is achieved. At that point the flavor is heavenly. The Virginias are sweet with a touch of citrus and hay. A really fine smoke that gives you plenty of both components.

I'm predominently a Burley smoker or Burley-Virginia, and have been for over 20 years. This tobacco is billed as Virginia/Burley but it's predominently Burley. It satisfies every description of true Burley tobacco. I suspect the Virginia component is less than ten percent and simply adds a bit of sweetness that compliments the blend. And unlike some of the MB blends, there is little to no bite. Once you smoke a third of the way down the bowl, it's deeper and richer then one would expect from the description. Some have described it as bland but if you're a Burley smoker, I think you'll find this a pleasant and enjoyable smoke. There's no need to go into a lengthy description of smoking and other qualities - there's plenty of that here. Highly recommended.

I finally satisfied my curiosity about this tobacco after hearing Ruffinogold sing it's praises both here and on one of the forums, and I'm glad I did. Despite 20+ years of pipe smoking, I hadn't yet really "got" Burley, though I'd only dabbled with it up to this point. I've tried some OTC blends like Carter Hall and Prince Albert, and sampled a few of C&D's offerings, and while I liked them ok, they never really compelled me to smoke them in quantity.

Golden Extra (sold as Golden Blend in the Eastern Hemisphere, according to Mac Baren) has finally hooked me on the simple pleasure of Burley's mild but honest tobacco flavor, and is buttery and nutty with an occasional hint of sweetness, provided, I believe, by the small amount of Virginia that is added. It's really the perfect all-day, anytime smoke, in my estimation, and I've already consumed a considerable quantity even given my moderate habit. It comes in a broken flake form similar to another of my standby blends, Rattray's Hal O' The Wynd, and it packs and lights easily straight from the tin, no drying time necessary. Relights are minimal to non-existent, and I regularly smoke this to ash in one go. The flavor is deep enough to reward you for slow, attentive puffing, but it is mild enough to smoke all day, and easy enough to smoke that you can clench your pipe and go about your business, giving it only an occasional tamp to keep it going. Being a Burley based tobacco, I find that this burns substantially faster than Virginias or English-style blends, though I haven't found it to burn hot or bite, even when carelessly over-puffed.

Mac Baren Golden Extra probably won't knock your socks off or make you throw the rest of your tobacco into the fire, but it provides a tasty and satisfying smoke without challenging your palate, your patience, or your budget. In bulk, it is priced competitively with most of the major OTC tubs, and in my estimation it provides a superior smoke, free of extraneous flavorings that mask bland tobacco and the PG goop that goes with them.

Four stars as both a solid Burley and an all-day smoke. I will keep a pound of this on hand in the future.

It's a little nutty with light chocolate notes, and the barest touch of honey. The Virginia acts mainly as a cooling base to contrast and smooth out the burley. Burns well and even, and tastes even better when you sip it and don't puff away like a train. It's kind of light in strength, but it's designed to be that way. A pleasant, uncomplicated mild to medium sweet blend that doesn't tire you out from repeated smokes during the day.

I believe in a balanced diet. To get my minimum daily requirement of burley, I smoke Mac Baren Golden Extra.

But there are lots of burleys out there ... why Golden Extra? That's easy. Because it reminds me of an old sentimental favorite: Amphora Regular Cavendish, in the brown packet.

Golden Extra is the most refined burley I've ever smoked: mild and soft with absolutely no trace of harshness. In fact, Golden Extra is SO refined that it took me close to half a tin before all those exquisite subtle flavors and aromas began to emerge. I kept at it because GE was a satisfying smoke from the get go.

Golden Extra is a slow burning, coarse cut tobacco. I would suggest NOT rubbing it out. The chunky broken flake pieces burn beautifully right out of the tin. Two initial lights are sufficient, in my experience, to get it to smolder effortlessly and fragrantly all the way to the bottom.

Subtle and satisfying, but never overwhelming. Clearly designed for the burley lover looking for a slow-burning companionable all-day blend.

The version under review here is a bulk one-pound batch, aged 5 years. Somewhat dark in colour, with a jar note of rustic bread baked with honey. Mouth watering.

Let me just say that I consider enjoyment to be the key goal of pipe smoking. Whatever way YOU find to best smoke a tobacco is, by definition, the RIGHT way. That said, I'll venture to add a few technical notes here which might be useful in enhancing one's enjoyment of this particular Mac Baren blend.

Golden Extra is primarily a burley mixture, with a small amount of Virginia for added dimension. And these are exceptionally mellow, high-quality burley tobaccos.

Burley tends to have a high ash content, which can contribute to a somewhat harsher and bolder smoke compared to Virginia. Fortunately the varieties used in Golden Extra are quite soft and comfortable on the mouth and throat. Nonetheless I've found it important to keep a slow, cool burn to assure that the delectable flavours persist to the end of the bowl.

Also I've found it extremely helpful to light the tobacco slowly and gently, to avoid any deep or rapid puffing which might aggravate burley's tendency towards harshness. This is a very difficult habit to cultivate if you're used to stoking a roaring fire on light up. But it's a habit well worth it in my humble opinion, especially when smoking burley.

With Golden Extra I have two charring lights, with a gentle tamp to even the ash layer, followed by a single true light which usually burns all the way to the bottom with a gentle smoulder. The room note is heavenly: one of the best examples of the classic pipe fragrance. Bystanders enjoy the aroma. "That smells GOOD!" is a comment I've received more than once.

Classic burley, chocolaty aroma out of the tin. Partially rubbed flake. Moisture level good out of the tin. Soft and pliable makes it easy to pack without having to further rub it out, which is nice. Very easy to light for this cut of tobacco. Burns nicely. Classic burley flavor all the way through, getting just a bit more robust as it's smoked. Nicotine content is just barely enough to let you know it's there. Easily an all day smoke. Seems to smoke a bit better in a larger sized bowl. Every time I finish a bowl, I just want to pack another and light up. Very enjoyable with plenty of burley flavor. I couldn't get it to bite even if I wanted to. This blend is what other blends like half&half wish they could be.

Mac Baren Golden Extra (or golden blend) is a fine burley tobacco blended with aged ready rubbed burley. I like burley blends i.e., London Burley Blend but this one doesn't have a lot of flavor. It can be smoked all day. It is subtle and not overpowering. I particularly like the straightforward tobacco taste of this smoke and I detect just a lite sweetness as an undertone flavoring. I do not pick up the chocolate taste others have experienced. If you're looking for a good, quality, affordable burley that's about medium all the way through (strength, taste, flavor), this is it.

Gawd, I started with Golden Extra as my first good tinned tobacco back when I got my first adult job (selling newspaper advertising). It knocked me out then and continues to do so. Disclaimer: I am a Mac Baren man, in the sense that I love a lot of their tobaccos, but I smoke damn near everything. Good tobacco flavor but I agree could use more, tin note is nutty hay, aroma is amazing - back when I first smoked this in the early 70s you could smoke in the office, and the ladies would actually ask me to smoke this for the aroma.

I'm not a tobacco wussy, either. I can smoke MB HH Old Dark Fired Ready Rubbed all day long; same with D&R Picayune Pride of New Orleans and SG's Brown Rope blends.

GE is a baccy you can smoke all day, very refined. I let it dry out 15-20 min. before rubbing it out a bit and lighting up. Burns very well, no bite for me and the taste gets deeper and richer, deeper into the bowl. I would rate this 3.3 - 3.6 if I could. The 3.1 overall rating is too low. This blend, like any other, will not be everyone's cup of tea, but if you like a good burley you should try Golden Extra.

Golden Extra is a delight for the smoker and the audience. Nicely dry from the tin and easy to pack, light and smoke to the bottom of the bowl. A little bit of bite if smoked too intensely, fast and hot. Slow down and the reward is a nice tobacco flavor. I keep a couple of tins on hand and whenever it comes up in the rotation, I look forward to it like a visit with an old friend. Think of this as the smell of your grandfather's pipe tobacco when you were a child.

The Golden Extra tastes like a basic burley with a little Virginia in it for character, and it is slightly sweet. It tastes to me like this is the Virginia in the flavor profile and not a topping. I can still taste the burley, and I liked this blend. If Carter Hall hits a single note well, Golden Extra hits two, so it is not THAT complex. It is a good, basic smoke in the same camp as Old Companion. It was a slow, cool smoke for me with no tendency to burn hot. It was easy to keep lit.

Edit 9/18/14: When I finished this, I bought a pound of it. This is a solid "all-day" smoke that satisfies and has a great rtoom note.

Get your over-alls, straw hat, cane pole and head down to the fishin' hole on the John Deere! If you want to taste straight forward burley ..... no casing nothing added (except a little virginia) then this is the tobacco. For me, The best burley I've ever smoked. Quality leaf! Smooth, good body, tasty and the sweetness that is all tobacco. Gents ..... this is real tobacco! If you like burley ..... I highly recommend you give this a try. This is an excellent smoke. This tobacco smoked in a cob .... whew! If you like virginias .... you will love this! This tobacco is one of my favorites. I smoke a lot of different tobaccos ..... English, virginias, aromatics .... etc. But if I need a "straight-up" tobacco fix ...... this is my "go to" smoke. Mac Baren has my attention. If you are a burley lover ..... do not pass this one up! Very highly recommended!!!!!

I consider this a passport to Burley Heaven. I smoke in a Mark Tinsky Rhodesian devoted to it. The primary note is cocoa to me. I feel the nutty flavor intermittently. There is a sweetness under the surface likely due to a little Va in the mix. If OTC burleys like Carter Hall are one dimensional, I find Golden Extra to be 2 dimensional. There is a thicker and more flavorful feel on the tongue. It is hearty to me. Does best for me gently coaxed in a bigger bowl.

In my opinion, this tobacco needs some time and air to perform right. I find that the case with all MacBarens. I've ordered bulk online which I found better behaved. In the case of the more readily available tins, I open and let it air overnight. I then transfer to jar and wait a few weeks. Golden Extra mellows even more with some age, and the tendency to burn hot when fresh seems to go away. This is extra work, but worth it. I am currently on a jar I stuffed a year ago, and find it perfect.

An excellent choice for burley lovers. Presentation is broken flake, tightly pressed into a round tin. Tin note is classic VaBur hay. Mild cocoa on the palate, as expected. Virginias in the background but serve as a little speed bump against the tendency of many (myself included) to speed-smoke a nice, light burley. After the charring light, smoke this one slow, as you would a VA, to really get at the subtle sweetness. It will require self control beacuse it's so damn good. Really nice cocoa notes here with the addition of Virginia sweetness in the background. This is a very well done blend.

Note: the slower you sip this, the more you will taste the light cocoa flavors. It will be difficult, as the blend is so delicious you'll want to puff it. But try to sip it and you'll really get the natural and unflavored sweet milk chocolate notes of the excellent burley in this blend.

A great, every day smoke. Excellent value in a 100g tin. I especially like this in a large bowled cob such as an MM Country Gent - cobs do so well with those cocoa burley flavors. The addition of Virginias into this blend give the suggestion of hot chocolate. Four stars and among the best in its class.

Golden Extra is a very forgiving blend.Not afraid to fill any of my Pipes,with GldnXtra.Most of my pipes are assigned to 1or2 Tobaccos.G-Xtra smokes well in any Pipe,and doesn't leave Funky Flavors behind. Good Natural Tobacco ! :-)

This blend is an old friend from my undergraduate days at Oberlin College, in the days when we could smoke in our dorm rooms, and the local "drug store" carried some amazingly high-quality blends, including this one, Mac Baren Scottish Mixture and the black and white label tins of Balkan Sobranie, all of which I smoked.

This is another nice, mild blend that can be smoked casually and often with no fear of bite or harshness. It is packed tightly in the tin and presents that quintessential "Mac Baren" tin aroma of figs, raisins and pastry. While I remember pulling it out of the tin and packing it "as is" when I smoked it back in the day, I now rub it out really well, despite the "ready rubbed" legend on the label.

It takes to the flame nicely and once the second flame is applied, it stays lit and burns slowly and evenly. This tobacco wants to be sipped slowly and will bite back if smoked agressively. A large-bowl pipe that's carefully and firmly packed will provide a long, slow and pleasant smoke with subtle flavors that don't get too strong or complex, but stay mild and even from start to finish.

I have fond memories of this 'baccy, and will keep it in my rotation for a good long time.

If this is the same as Golden Blend, then the web master can move this.

Here's the thing: it is good, but it bites all over the palette if you smoke it hard. Otherwise, if you can slow yourself down, it is an enjoyable - plain and simple blend. There is a nicely embedded darkness - like a dark unsweetened chocolate - that can be appreciated if you look for it. It seems to come on mid-bowel. It is said to be air dried; the nicotine content seems appropriately low for the process. This is a plus if you don't like getting buzzed. I like getting buzzed, though.

Also:

1) Because it does not knock you over the head, {except for the occasional big bad bite on an aggressive light) there is a tendency to want to smoke it fast to get more out of it. As above, this is a huge mistake. Let it come to you, and you will be rewarded.

2) It doesn't cost as much as some of the other touted Burleys. $7.50 for 4 ounces is not a show stopper.

3) the more I smoke it, the more it reminds me of smoking a cigarette! I have to consciously tell myself not to inhale as in yesteryear. That is where I place it, actually: cigarette= like. This is not at all demeaning. There were some strong cigarettes [particularly European] that I used to enjoy for taste without inhaling.

4) This requires a pipe that is not contaminated by previously strongly flavored smokes. I look forward to trying this blend in a sweetened pipe in a month or so.

In conclusion, this can definitely be a part of my growing tobacco gallery. It is good for me as the opening act, or as an intermission between more exciting offerings. That is a good thing. If it is your all day smoke, then I mean no disrespect Just know that people have different chemistries.

This is a good blend....a solid blend. Perhaps not groundbreaking or an everyday smoke for most folks, but a general all-around nice smoke.

The tin note doesnt do anything for me. I'm not quite sure why. But I've learned not to judge a tobacco by the tin note, and that's a good thing (for more than just this blend).

The virginia comes through nicely and blends well with the burley. It seemed to have a hint of spice that was not unpleasant which is saying something from someone who does not care for perique. Not that there is perique in this blend...there isnt. But it has a spiciness nonetheless. It becomes particularly noted when blown through the nasal passages.

The room note is pleasant but I wont be finding my wife asking me to smoke it inside anytime son. It takes on an almost perfumy aroma....almost, but not quite.

I break my tobacco tastes into simple categories: hate it, would smoke again but not buy it, like it and would purchase, and must keep on hand. This blend is just slightly north of would definitely smoke again but perhaps not purchase again. I would easily smoke the whole tin and enjoy it, but when your wallet is limited, you might not find yourself handing this one to the cashier. But it is SO CLOSE to that range, I have to recommend it for others. I could see many loving this blend, but it just doesnt reach those heights with my tastes.

As a side note, the moisture content is perfect. I have come to expect that from MacBaren blends. No airing out needed for their tins. Load 'em and smoke 'em.

Mac Baren Golden Extra made in Denmark Imported by Sutliff Tobacco Company

Brown Burley and Golden Virginian Tobaccos

Tin Notes: natural sweet smelling tobaccos with rich colors. This is a ready rubbed tobacco somewhat course cut slices that may require a final rub before loading into the pipe. With near perfect moisture content this tobacco is easy to manage - just stuff and light.

Smoking: This is an all around good tobacco blend ! Golden Extra may have an ever-so light topping as it is slightly sweet but not much if any. Rich Smooth and Flavorful an easy smoking blend that preforms good in any pipe.

The Tin of tobacco that i am reviewing is a little more than 1 year old when i broke the seal, but i have smoked freshly made versions and can say that it is a good smoking tobacco right off the bat and does not require aging.

This aromatic tobacco is slightly pre-rubbed, but does require a bit more rubbing out. It is on the dry side, burning hot and fast and leaving a dry bowl with no dottle. There is no real body to this aromatic tobacco and it is somewhat one-dimensional, but the sweetness of the pouch does translate to the smoke. It is simple and unpretentious, providing a nice sweet honey-cocoa respite from the busier and more complex blends out there. My taste buds keep asking for a malt-like backing to provide some depth and give balance to this blend, but alas, no, so that shoe never hits the ground. There can be a bit of a sweet-chemical flavor from the casing and pure tobacco taste never really makes it to the forefront. For packing, you need to keep the bowl somewhat loose and tamping to a minimum. Pull carefully and with rests to avoid overheating your pipe. Also, careful smoking will reward you with no bite. Once you get the pace down and play by its rules, it is a very easy tobacco to smoke and an enjoyable classic all-dayer. Retrohale is pleasant and sidestream offers up a wonderfully aromatic aroma. No detectable nicotine. Post smoke can leave you with that sweet chemical-like aftertaste. Despite the negatives, it is still a blend I would buy again for its honest simplicity, all-day usefulness, easy burn, and Danish-sweetness.

After a long, dry spell without pipe tobaco (due to the stupidity of Mexican government regulations), I got hold of this one in a recent trip to Cartagena de Indias. Very much surprised by the quality, craftmanship and balance of GE.

Similar to London Club, but with the added touch of matured Virginia leaf, this is truly a classy and a classic smoke. Smooth, flavoursome, dense, with an excellent room note. I much prefer it to Mixture because it has a more defined tobacco structure. It does not pretend to be fancy.

Who ever designed this blend knew perfectly well what he/she was doing. A no-nonsense smoke for any time of the day, with a very traditional Burley aroma, inviting, not entirely sweet and not at all flat (something I do get from other Burley blends).

If found, try it. This is very good stuff. Should deserve better publicity and marketing.

A good friend shared some of his that has been aged a NUMBER of years, and it is an extremely mild, and enjoyable, smoke. I took it nice and slow to avoid Mac-bite, and it paid off. A nice touch of the nuttiness that others have commented on, but I found no chocolate. Extremely nice in a 30 year old kaywoodie straight billiard I inherited from my pipe mentor from the mid-80s.

Review is of a tin that is most likely 30 years old; I have not had a more recent version to compare it to. Burley changes less than Virginia in a decades-long timespan, and though I really don't know without a new sample how much this has changed, change or not, I like it. Others have compared it to a lighter Burley London, another tobacco I have had only in a well-aged version, and I could agree with that. It is a fine, slightly sweet and pleasant smoke.

I have recently had the chance to try several Mac Barens from the 80s, and though the aged roll cakes are my favorites, this is great for a long, slow smoke on its own, and I sometimes mix it with my classic roll cakes to preserve them. It is burley, but light burley, and at least at this age is never harsh or biting. There is certainly some topping here, evident in the tin, but 30 years tones this down to the point where all one gets is a touch of sweetness in the lit pipe itself.

Very good burner, with very little problems as to overheating, uneven burning, or waste. With three tins in reserve, I should have plenty more time to continue to evaluate it, that is if I can get to it along with everything else I have to smoke!

There are times when only a good clean, simple burley blend will do and this one fits the bill. Easy to pack, easy to light and easy to keep lit. I find the taste to be similar to Prince Albert, but more earthy and about twice as "full." Definitely a high quialty tobacco from Mac Baren. It's not as flavorful as Burley London Blend, but that's not a bad thing. Sometimes simplicity wins the day. If you're looking for a good, quailty, affordable burley that's about medium all the way through (strength,taste,flavor), this is it.

If you like Virginias give this a try. I bought this as a gift for my friend who was an aromatic smoker. I figured since he liked Connecticut wrapper cigars, he might like this. It smells of natural fruit rolls or dried plum. Flavor is grassy, hay, dried plum, and lemon zest. It is fairly nice, but it leaves a taste I am not fond of when finished. He liked it enough to dedicate a pipe to it.

Well, I was surprised when I opened the tin, because I was not aware that this baccy came in such long 'flakes'. After that I was quite taken with the smell- very sweet and rich, like dark chocolate. Seemed the perfect moisture content out of the tin, but gurgled heavily about halfway through. After learning how to load this in my bowl, I found it smoked quite cool and mellow, and tastes like your normal everyday tobacco, with a sweet tone that gets sweeter if you take your time and keep it cool. Not bad at all.

This is very very similar to london burley blend. The only difference I can tell, is that its sweeter and lighter. I found rubbing the broken flakes brings out the taste significantly, in a corn cob it's great.

This goes well in the morning before work, rather low in nicotine, but not too low. Classic burley taste, but sweeter rather than nuttier.

A good solid 'standard' smoke, nothing amazing, but it's one of those ones you could have as a 'your' smoke, all day every day, like an old person.

I won't be buying more of this, so far burley london blend is winning the mac barenathon.

Nice easy smoke that is very good value for money (i paid $9 for 100gram tin from 4noggins). I get no bite at all from this and while it has a burley taste, its a fairly mild smoke. Very easy all day smoke. Probably the only negative is i find it has a slightly earthy/anty (think those little black ants on picnics) taste to it. But this is only very mild and doesnt really interfere with enjoyment.

This blend is just wonderful. Its a straight burley with a touch of virgina. The tin smells like chocolate and the smoke itself has that wonderful sweet cocoa, nutty flavor. Very mild and smooth. It is one-dimensional, but then again, isnt that the point with a blend like this? Its a flake tobacco thats been partially rubbed out. I honestly cannot say enough good things about this blend, it's just that good. If you love burley, you HAVE to try this. It's wonderful!

The only MacBaren's I would smoke was London Blend Burley. All that has instantly changed! I'm ordering a pound of this. I Love Burley tobacco and this is amazing!!! MELLOW-MELLOW-sweet-Mellowy- roasted nut burley lightly sweetned by what, I don't care. I salute you MacBaren. This, I really really like.Four stars.

I'm not a huge burly smoker but I have acess to plenty of different MB blends, Golden Extra being one of them. To me, out of the pouch, this stuff does smell quite a bit like Hersheys cocoa powder. Taste like a mild burly. Been sitting on a couple of ounces for a year or so but am not sure how well burlys age. Worth a try if you come across some.

McB Golden Extra … Let me start off by saying I'm not a McBaren fan, for reasons I don't chose to go into here. But burley is one of my weaknesses, and Golden Extra is a burley, so I could not resist trying at least one tin. Add to that the ever increasing cost of OTC burley blends, this stuff is even more inviting.

My sample was a 100g tin, (not plastic) filled with attractive broken flakes. What's worth the mention because most of my favorite burleys are not flakes. I prefer flakes, as they provide (IMO) a longer/cooler smoke, especially outdoors,which is important to me. As for taste, GE has its own worthwhile character, nothing fancy, but gives me what I expect from a fine burley, with zero tongue bite and clouds cool mild smoke. At the very least, I can see this weed being my “stuff & puff” go too tobacco, for many of my daily routines. So if you enjoy OTC type tobaccos, and have not tried GE, for whatever reason, rest easy, this is a good one.

I was lucky enough to find a well aged tin of this fine burley/virginia blend.. I'm not sure of the exact age but based on the rusty weathered nature of the tin I would guess it had at least 5 years on it.. Not being much of a Macbaren or burley smoker I was slightly hesitant.. but how often do you get the chance to experience something with age on it without the need to wait patiently - so I jumped at the chance.. The tin popped easily but was a little tricky to get open since it was slightly fused together.. The smell that was released from the tin was amazing.. very sweet fermented bliss.. almost too sweet but overwhelming in a pleasant way.. The same sweetness came accross in the smoke along with an old musty flavor that was curiously intoxicating.. this is a light blend but aged it seems almost heavy.. a little chocolate comes through but deffinately a natural tasting smoke.. It does bite a lot when you first open it.. but after some drying it mellows.. beautiful smoke.. I prefer straight virginias but this is a case of age making the difference.. I would say 4 stars with age.. maybe 2 or 3 otherwise in my opinion.. but a gorgeous old tobacco.

This is my first venture into Burley blends, other than PA, which I did not particularly like. However, I like this tobacco. It can be smoked all day. It is subtle and not overpowering. I particularly like the straightforward tobacco taste of this smoke and I detect just a lite sweetness as an undertone flavoring. I do pick up the chocolate taste others have experienced, howbeit ever so vague in the background.

Unlike some other reviewers, I do not experience the tongue bite. However, my tobacco was drier than many blends I have smoked.

This tobacco, as with most Mac Baren tobaccos, bites my tongue. It is a chemical reaction that I just can't get past. I have tried different methods of packing, different pipes, extreme slow smoking: always the same, ouch. It is too bad for this tobacco has a fine flavor of sweetened burley and is always priced nicely at the tobacco shops. A 100 gram tin is usually about the same price as most other brands 50 gram tins. Try this tobacco if you like burley blends with a slight sweetness and see if your chemistry is suitable for Mac Baren tobaccos. Mine is not.

this was my first stray away from aromatics, i picked up a tin at my local "tobacco town" just up the road. i asked the guy working there for a good burley for someone kinda just starting out and he recommended this one.

it packed very well and lit very well and i somehow got away with not having to relight a single time all the way to the end.

i took other reviewers' advice and smoked it patiently and i was very much pleased with how cool and evenly it smoked all the way to the bottom of the bowl.

i've yet to develop a good taste for burley, like i said this is my first attempt at getting away from aromatics, but i really enjoyed the "lightly sweetened" flavor, every hit was at first a bit spicy, but tasty like a cinnamon sort of spice (doesn't taste like cinnamon) rather than a pepper sort of spice, and later as i exhaled there was a very sweet chocolatey flavor after taste.

I like burley blends, and this one doesn't have a lot of flavor. I'm not sure what they did with the leaf, but it almost seems to have had the flavor removed, if such a thing is possible. I prefer Prince Albert, Carter Hall, and pretty much any of the C&D burley blends to this.

It doesn't bite, or at least I can't report the classic MacBaren blowtorch phenomenon, and it is well behaved in the pipe, smokes dry and relatively cool.

I will smoke another bowl or two just to confirm my opinion, but at the moment, this is a candidate for the give away pile...

UPDATE Jan 31 2010 I'm confirming my earlier review, and basically, I just don't see the point of smoking this tobacco. It does have a slight bite, and essentially zero flavor. When most of the flavor I get in the smoke is the tobacco I last smoked in the pipe -- note I said most! -- then why bother?

Mac Baren Golden Extra (or golden blend) is a fine burley tobacco blended with aged ready rubbed burley and very slightly cased with honey-like aroma, the flavor is a mild chocolaty and mild smoke, it will reveal its wonderful "chocolaty" flavor only after smoking 10-15 bowl of it, exclusively and in one run. this blend is soft on the palate with no tongue bit whatsoever.

This is an all day smoke especially for summer time, however, I would recommend the tin container rather than the bulk one, which has less flavor and aroma.